1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an article management method for managing an article, especially transportation equipment such as an automobile, a motorcycle, a ship, and an airplane over the lifecycle thereof. In addition, the present invention relates to an article management system. Specifically, the present invention relates to the manner of attaching a tag in an article management system.
2. Description of Background Art
A technique of managing an article by use of RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) has been widely used and is increasing in use gradually. This is a technique of managing where each article is stocked and the like by using a computer as follows. The RFID (also called an IC tag, a radio tag, or an electronic tag) is attached to an article or a packing material thereof, and information for identifying a type of the article or the individual article is read from the RFID in a distribution process of the article and the like. Herein, the RFID is a small tag, which includes an IC (Integrated Circuit) and means for transmitting/receiving radio signals embedded therein.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-169858 discloses a system which enables an article such as a vehicle to be managed from production to disposal in the following manner. The RFID (tag) is kept fixed to the article from production to disposal thereof. Information which is specific to the article and stored in an IC within the RFID is designed to be read by a computer. In this system, any one of inventory management, delivery management, distribution management, maintenance management, and customer management is included from production to disposal. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-169858 discloses a technology of fixing the RFID to a chassis frame made of sheet steel (FIGS. 2 and 3, paragraph [0007]), an electromagnetic shielding board which electromagnetically shields an antenna of the RFID from the chassis frame made of sheet steel (FIG. 2, pl. 0009), and a technology of fixing the RFID to a side surface of the chassis frame and a bottom surface or a bumper of a monocoque body (FIG. 5, paragraph [0020]).
In the case where the RFIC was fixed to the chassis frame of a vehicle using the conventional technology as described above, since the entire chassis frame was covered with the vehicle body made of metal, read/write signals (electromagnetic waves) for the RFID were blocked by the vehicle body. Therefore, in order to read/write information from/to the RFID, it was required to get under the body and bring an RFID reader/writer close to the chassis. This procedure is very inconvenient.